The Ashes – Third Test, Adelaide Day 2: A saga of Snicko

 

The Ashes Third Test-Adelaide Day 2: A Saga of Snicko

 

One day down in this Third Ashes Test and Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough’s prediction on ABC Summer Grandstand of ten wickets and 300 runs a day rang about as true as Boof’s bell-ringing technique to signal the start of proceedings.

 

Meanwhile, real estate atop Montefiore Hill overlooking the Adelaide Oval has reached a new premium with statues of King Carey and Titan Trav set to occupy William Light’s vantage point alongside Light’s Vision.

 

On to day two when Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide are absolute priorities in Adelaide on a day when the weather forecast is for a top temperature of 39oC mid-afternoon fanned by a hot north wind. It’s the kind of weather that if you hang the washing outside on the Hills Hoist you can return and ten minutes later to find the garments dried to a crisp. To use the old vernacular, Adelaide was heading for a ‘stinker’.

 

At the commencement of play at 10 AM local time the temperature gauge was already hovering around 34oC. The Barmy Army were equally warmed up and in fine voice with a rendition of Jerusalem. In contrast, the television commentary was all about the previous days’ proceedings and the controversy of snicko-gate. It was disappointing that the technical issues which occurred in the recent WBBL|11 series did not rate a mention.

 

England paceman Jofra Archer got the first session of Day 2 underway but was clearly in desperate need of a coffee or two. Mitchell Starc had no sympathy for the bowler, picking up where he’d left off at stumps on the previous day. Nathan Lyon was holding firm at the other end, giving his partner as much of the strike as possible. Starc brought up his half century in the second over of the day.

 

England captain Ben Stokes, not pleased with the bowling performance, gave Archer a pep-talk. A couple of balls later Archer skittled Starc’s stumps with the batter on 54 off 75 balls. Australia were 9 for 348.

 

Scott Boland came in and continued in a similar vein to Starc. Lyon and Boland adding 23 runs for the last wicket. The innings came to an end when Lyon was struck on the pads giving Archer his fifth wicket (53 balls) but not before Nathan felt it necessary to refer the decision. Did he think the England players had not had a sufficient daily dose of vitamin D? 

 

Australia all out after 91.2 overs for 371, the tail surviving a creditable 39 minutes into the morning session.

 

Mitchell Starc took up the new ball, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett batted up, and England’s innings was underway.

 

The Duckett-Crawley combination looked to be making the most of a so-called ‘ideal’ batting wicket until Pat Cummins brought himself on in the eighth over. Crawley lost his wicket with Cummins’ fourth ball, caught behind by Alex Carey.  Crawley (9 off 19) retreated back to the air-conditioning while Ollie Pope replaced him out in the middle. England were 1 for 37 from 7.4 overs.

 

Another bowling change in the tenth over saw Nathan Lyon take the ball. With the last ball of his first over Lyon had Pope caught at midwicket by Josh Inglis for 3 from 10 and England 2 for 41 after 9.3 overs.

 

Pope’s departure came about 30-minutes out from the lunch break. The temperature in Adelaide had crept up to 37.1oC and England needed Duckett and Joe Root to form a cool, calculated partnership. The plan came unstuck two balls later when Lyon, full of vim, clean bowled Duckett for 29. The wicket handed Lyon the title of second most successful wicket taker in test cricket for Australia, a position previously held by the great Glenn McGrath. 

 

Harry Brook came to the crease with things looking dire for England at 3 wickets down for 42. Perhaps England were attempting to prove that Damian Hough was correct in his  assessment of the pitch being a ten wicket a day strip.

 

In the eleventh over snicko-gate again reared its head when Australia, certain that Boland had snared the wicket of Root caught behind by Carey referred the not out call. After a lengthy review by the third umpire the not out decision was upheld. The England supporters still hot-under-the-collar from the technology palaver of the previous day, thought the decision was just.

 

The Army fired up their voices once more but fell silent a few overs later when Joe Root was the subject of another appeal and referral in a Boland over. Root was given another life. He and Brook saw out the remaining pre-lunch period taking the visitors to 3 for 59 trailing Australia by 312.

 

The second session kicked off with the temperature a balmy 38.4oC. Undetered by the conditions, the Barmy Army raised their momentum, but Pat Cummins had other ideas.

 

At the centre of attention, Joe Root faced up to Cummins, the batter relieved to survive an appeal for L.B.W. in the first over after the break. Root’s reprieve was to be short-lived. In his second over of the spell Cummins found the outside edge of Root’s bat. Root departed for 19 caught behind by Carey. No need for a third umpire review!

 

England captain Ben Stokes joined Harry Brook in the sunshine. The pair slowed the pace as Australia frequently rotated their bowling attack in consequence of the heat. England sedately passed the 100-run mark.

 

In the twenty-ninth over Harry Brook decided we needed a bit of excitement and unleashed with a six off Boland’s bowling. It was finally a bowling change and Cameron Green who got the better of Brook who’d put together a score of 45 from 63 balls.

 

The milestone 40.oC was hit and the players left the field for tea. The timing of the break was excellent enabling the on-field players to escape to the rooms for Icy Poles and a quick dunk in an ice bath. 

 

After thirty-nine overs England had 132 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, needing another 239 to equal Australia’s first innings total. Steadfast Stokes and Jamie Smith were holding on.

 

In the fifth over after the break Jamie Smith had just taken to a ball from Cummins, sending it for six over deep backward square leg. 

 

Smith fell to Cummins in his next over, caught behind by Carey, and a return to snicko-gate. While awaiting the outcome of the third umpire review, Stokes’ body language seemed to sum up England’s day with the bat on pitch they should have played to full advantage. Stokes would have benefited from an ice-pack and some lessons in portraying an icy demeanour.

 

Mr Consistent Scott Boland’s first reward came with thanks to Alex Carey standing up at the stumps to dismiss Will Jacks for 6. Stokes was cramping up. Boland then rearranged Carse’s stumps with the first ball off his next over to reduce England to 8 for 168. 

 

Jofra Archer joined Stokes in the middle, and we braced for a resumption of the discussion of earlier in the day. Fortunately for England the duo were now on the same page. Turning over the strike, Stokes and Archer put on a valuable 45-run partnership thus avoiding the follow-on and taking England past the 200-run mark. 

 

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer survived through to stumps. It was something for the Barmy Army to sing about.

 

Mitchell Starc was the only bowler for Australia to end the day unrewarded.

 

Official attendance: 48,849

 

 

Here is the link to espncricinfo website for the full scorecard.

 

 

Read more from Heather Here.

 

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